Encouragement

It is Saturday morning, the 27th of May, 2023. I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! This is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. 

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”  
Ephesians 4:29

“Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.“  
James 3:10

You and I need to start speaking life and not death over people. This world is tough enough as it is. A word of encouragement in season can change a life forever. People get great encouragement when you say to them, “You are looking so smart today!” “I just love that dress that you are wearing, it really suits you”, “I like that new hairstyle that you have got.” Just a small, little word, especially for young people. Young people are really under the whip at the moment. They are getting criticised for everything. Folks, look at the heart, not at the outward appearance. Young people especially need to know that they are being supported. Folk need to know that we believe in them. That’s what Jesus did! He took those fishermen and changed them into the greatest preachers that the world has ever known.  

I remember like yesterday, when I started to preach in that little church on the main street of our town, Greytown. It was one of the most traumatic times in my life. I don’t know how many people were there, maybe 100, maybe 150. I was so nervous, but when I got into the pulpit and I looked down and I saw all those smiling, encouraging faces, a lot of them were old people, and I preached my heart out. I was literally sweating that day. I am sure I was preaching all kinds of apostasy and heresy but it was always done in love, and those old folk, they just kept on encouraging me to keep going and little did I know what awaited me in the future. I have had the privilege of preaching all over the world, and I have had the privilege of preaching to large crowds of people but I will never forget that small little congregation in that small church on the main street of Greytown, when those people encouraged me, including the minister and his wife, to keep on keeping on for Jesus.

Today, go out and encourage someone with a word of love. That's all they need.

Jesus bless you and goodbye.